Hayman admits to nerves before Sky debut

Monday, 18 January 2010
Simon Richardson
0 Comments

cancer council helpline classic, lance armstrong, team sky, 2010

>>>2010 Tour Down Under preview

Mat Hayman admitted to a few nerves before Team Sky kicked off their season at the Cancer Council Helpline Classic in Adelaide at the weekend.

The tall Australian has only ever ridden for Rabobank, having spent ten years with the Dutch team after turning professional in 2000, and admitted that he especially was anxious about riding for a new team. "Ten years at Rabobank and then make the move to another team? For sure [I was nervous]." he said.

"There were a few guys saying before the race they haven't been this nervous for a while. There was no pressure from the team, they just said we've got to get to know each other. But we put the pressure on ourselves."

Hayman was instrumental in Greg Henderson's win after he did a massive one lap turn in the lead-out. Russell Downing had taken Hayman to the front, past the HTC Columbia train, and set him up for his monster effort.

"I lead them coming in to the back straight with one to go and then round to the back straight again. We knew our marks and I knew I had to get Davide [Vigano] and [Ben] Swifty in to the back straight to give CJ and Hendy a chance."

"It was a long turn, but Hendy called it. He saw Columbia go coming in to two-and-a-half to go and he said 'go boys, go!' We just had to do longer turns than we thought."

Tour Down Under 2010: Race reports
Cancer Council Helpline Classic: Team Sky off to perfect start as Henderson wins

Tour Down Under 2010: Related links
Tour Down Under news round-up (Jan 16)
Armstrong leads thousands on Twitter ride in Adelaide
Team Sky ready for first race
Armstrong warms up Down Under
Armstrong in Australia: "I'm in better shape than last year"
Team Sky gets ready for Tour Down Under
Tour Down Under 2010: Start list
Lance Armstrong to ride 2010 Tour Down Under
Cadel Evans and BMC to ride Tour Down Under
Tour Down Under teams confirm rosters
Davis wins 2009 Tour Down Under